Suction cleaner



g- 1940. D. G. SMELL IE SUCTION CLEANER FiledDec. 18, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Donald 6. Jmelllk ATTORNEY 27, 1940- D. G. SMELLIE SUCTION CLEANER Filed Dec. 18, 1936 4- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Donald G Jmellie ATTORNEY was M21, 1940 SUCTION CLEANER- Donald G. Smellie, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December is, 1936, Serial No. 116,516 9- Claims. (01. -6)

The present invention relates to suction cleaners in general and particularlyto new and novel agitator-driving means in a suction cleaner. More specifically the invention comprises agitaby means of rotating unbalanced masses. A still further object is the provision of a suction cleaner in which a plurality of rotating unbalanced masses are so related that the undesirable forces are cancelled within the system while the'desirable forces accomplish the intended functional result. Still another object of the invention is the provision of a suction cleaner in which the rotating force of the driving motor of the suction cleaner is converted into a reciprocating motion of the cleaner: agitator through the cooperation of rotating unbalanced masses which form a system within which the functionally undesirable forces are cancelled. These and more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon consldering in connection therewith the attached drawings to which they relate. Referring now to the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the suction cleaner embodying .the present invention with 40 certain parts broken away and shown in section;

' Figure 2 is a bottom view of the cleaner shown in Figure 1 with certain parts broken away and shown in section;

Figure 3 is a section upon the line 3-3 of 4 FigureZ showing the system of rotating un balanced masses;

Figure 4 is a rear/view of the cleaner shown in Figures 1 and a Figure 1, and shows the connection of the agitator-actuating means to the agitator;

' Figure 6 is a partial section similar to-Figure 5 showing a modified agitator construction. Y u

53 In the drawings a modern suctioneleener i8 livering thereto a positive beating blow/ Figure 5 is 'anenlarged section through" the 50 cleaner nozzle, similar to the showing thereof in secured dust bag I. The reduced pressure withdisclosed comprising .a nozzle l which is connected to a fan chamber 2 provided with an exhaust outlet 3. A motor casing 4- is positioned in therear of the fan chamber 2 and houses a driving motor 5. A- suction-creating fan 6 positioned within the fan chamber 2 is driven by the motor 5 to create a reduced pressure within nozzle l and to draw air therefrom and exhaust it through the exhaust outlet 3 into a removably 10 in the nozzle l effects the lifting of the surface covering undergoing cleaning into contact with the front and rear nozzle lips 8 and 9 respectively. The nozzle lips are movably positioned with respect to the surface covering undergoing cleaning, as is the-remainder of the cleaner casing, by front and rear supporting wheels I0 and H. As in the usual cleaner construction nozzleheight-adjusting means, indicated generally by the reference character l2, are connected to the front wheels to malge possible the raising and lowering of the nozzle lips relative to a surface covering undergoing cleaning. Also, as in the usual cleaner construction. a pivoted handle I3 is provided and is formed with bifurcatedarms l6, M which are pivoted upon the opposite sides of the motor casing 4. Suitable handle-positioning means, indicated generally by the reference character I5, are provided which, in a well-known manner, position the handle in a fixed position or within a range of movement.

Within the cleaner nozzle l, and positioned between the lips 8 and 9, is an agitator l6 which comprises, in the modification shown in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, spaced surface-contactlng-andbeating elements l1, l1, and which, in'the modification shown in Figure 'G'comprises in addition to the elements l1, l1 acentrally positioned brush element l8 which is removably secured as by ascrew l9. In each of the modifications agitator I6 is pivotally mounted. at its ends in bearings 20, 20 and is adapted to be reciprocated or oscillated, as illustrated by the full and dotted line positions in Figure 5. This movement? sults in alternate contact with the surface cov ing undergoing cleaning of first one beate v element l1 and then the other, eachelem nt de- With the agitator of Figure 6 provided this beating action of the elementsd'l, I1 is supplemented by the arcuate rotary brushing motion of the brush l8. I The alternate rotary motion of the agitator, or its reciprocation, is accomplished by means of a new and novel mechanism which converts the 65 rotary motion of the driving motor 5 into the alternate rotary motion of the agitator. This power-transmitting and converting mechanism will now be described. The motor 5 within the casing 4 extends, in its rotary shaft portion 2| through the rear face of the casing 4 into a housing 22 where it car'- ries a driving pulley 23. A power-transmitting belt 24 connects the driving pulley 23 to a second pulley 25 which is also positioned within the housing and which is carried upon the end of a rotatable shaft 26. Shaft 26 is itself rotatably mounted within a bearing seat 21 positioned at the end of a spindle 28 rotatably mounted within bearings 29, 29 on the under side of motor casing 4. The rotatable shaft 26 is itself rotatably mounted in spaced bearings 30-, 30 positioned within the bearing seat 21.

Shaft 26 extends forwardly from its supporting bearings 30, 30 in a direction which is substantially parallel to the shaft 2| of the motor and to a point immediately in the rear of the rear wall of nozzle I. Forward of bearing seat 2'! shaft 26 is enclosed within a concentric tube 3t which is itself seated at its rear end within the bearing seat and at its forward end within the casing 32 of the unbalanced mass system.

Within casing 32 an unbalanced mass comprising a gear 33 is positioned-the gear being rotatable with the shaft and both being rotatablycarried by bearings 34, 34. Horizontally spaced from unbalanced gear 33 is a second unbalanced gear 35 the teeth of which mesh with the teeth of gear 33 and which .is itself rotatably sup ported by bearings 36, 36. As is clearly illustrated in Figure 3, the unbalance of the two 'tator, IS in an enclosing rotating gears is out of phase 180 degrees. The gear 33 being keyed to the shaft 26 and the two gears being in mesh, it follows that the gears rotate together and in opposite directions.

The casing 32 of the unbalanced mass system is connected to the agitator I6 by means of a fixedly seated pin 31. An aperture 38 is formed. in the rear wall of casing I through which the Pin 31 extends and a flexible-collar 39 of a suitable material, such as rubber, seals to the opening 38 and to the pin 31 to prevent air leakage. The opening 38 is sufficiently larger than the pinto permit1 lateral displacement of the latter. The forward end of pin 31 seats within a metallic seat 46 which is. carried .by the agiinsulated body 4| of resilient material.

In the operation of the suction cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention, the rotation of the driving motor results in the rotation of'the fan 6 and the creation of a reduced pressure within the nozzle I. The surface covering undergoing cleaning is lifted into contact with the nozzle lips 8 and ,9 and into contact with'agitating elements I1, I]. of agitator l6. Cleaning air is dr wn into'the nozzle under the lips and is exh ted from the fan chamber through the exhaust outlet 3 into the filtering bag "I. The rotation of the motor also causes the rotation of the unbalanced masses 33 and 35 which are connected to the motor shaft by the pulleys 23 and 25, the belt 241 and the elongated rotating shaft 26. Upon being rotated the eccentric masses of the rotating gears 33 and 35 exert centrifugal forces about their axes of rotation. As the two gears are identical in .all respects, are rotatedin opposite directions,

and as their unbalance is spaced exactly degrees, as illustrated in Figure 3, a result is produced in which vertical components of the I centrifugal forces of the masses are additive and also in which the horizontal components of that force mutually cancel. This is clear from an inspection of Figure 3 in which it is obvious that as the unbalanced masses move downwardly they tend to draw the entire supporting mechanism in that direction, and the same is true when they move upwardly. Also, as the unbalanced masses move toward each other and from each other at the same time and inthe same relative positions relative to their axes; it follows that the horizontal components of force which are set up are mutually opposed and so cancel. As a result, then, of therotation in the system of unbalanced masses the entire casing 32 is moved upwardly and downwardly with a pcriodicity which is dependent upon the speed of rotation of the unbalanced masses. This movement of casing 32 is permitted by the mounting of shaft 26 which is as described, carried by the bearing seat 21 which is itself rotatably mounted through a spindle 28 upon bearings 29, '26 thereby permitting of the pivotal movement of the shaft 26 about the spindle 28 as an axis. The opening into the casing 22 through which the shaft 26 extends is of sufficient size to permit this pivotal movement of the'shaft 26.

' The reciprocating vertical displacement 0! casing 32 is transmitted through the" opening 38 in the rear wall of the cleaner nozzle bythe pin 31 to'the agitator IS." The pin 31 moves in a ver-f tical plane with the casing 32 and as it mtwes it pivots the seat 40 about the agitator axis through the bearings 20, 20. The result is the alternate arcuate rotary motion of the agitator l6 and Y the beating of the surface covering undergoing cleaning by the elements l1, l1 coupled with the brushing of that covering by thebrush element l8 when that element is present.

If it is desired the pivoted unbalanced system can be provided with stabilizing springs 42, 42 carried by the cleaner casing and which re sistingly oppose the pivotal movement of the sha t; 26 through contacting its surrounding casing ll.

This stabilizing feature is not absolutely essential but may beprovided where it is desired to limit within a certain range ment of the system.

I claim:

the pivotal move-' 1. Ina suction cleaner, a body,- a rotary driv;

ing motor, a reciprocating surface covering agit'ator carried by said body for movement in a constrained path, and means to drive said agitator from said motor comprising. a system of rotating unbalanced masses driven by said motor and which exert'additive forces in a direction to 'move said agitator-in said path and mutually cancelling'forces. at right angles to the firstmentioned direction, means mounting said systern formovement in the direction of said additive forces and connecting said. system 'to said agitator, whereby said additive forces are imparted-thereto.

2. In a suction cleaner,'a body including a nozzle, suction means connected to said nozzle, a

tends to'move said masses in said path are additive while those transverse thereto cancel, and means to transmit the movement of said masses as a unit to said agitator, whereby the straightline impulse only is imparted to the latter.

3. In a suction cleaner, a body, a rotary driving motor, a surface covering agitator mounted for constrained reciprocation and means to drive said agitator from said motor comprising a system of rotary unbalanced masses driven by said motor and movable as a unit, said unbalanced masses being adapted to set up centrifugal forces when rotating which forces are additive in their components parallel to a predetermined plane and are cancellative in their components perpendicular to that plane, means mounting said system for translation relative to said body under the action of said additive forces, and means to transmit the movement of said system to said agitator to actuate the latter within its oonstrained path. r I

4. In a suction cleaner, a body, a rotary driving motor, a reciprocating surface covering agitator and means to drive said agitator from said motor, said means comprising a driven rotating shaft pivoted to said body, a system of oppositely rotating unbalanced masses driven by and connected to said shaft at a distance from the pivotal axis of said shaft to set up additive forces about said axis and 'cancellative forces in the direction thereof, said system being movable with said shaft, said shaft being adapted to reciprocate under the centrifugal forces set up by said masses, and means to transmit the reciprocation motion at the end of said shaft to said agitator to reciprocate the latter.

5. In a suction cleaner, a'body having a nozzle, suction-creating means connected to said nozzle, a rotary driving motor, a reciprocating surface covering agitator'in said nozzle and means to drive said agitator from said motor, said means comprising a rotatable shaft spaced from and extended substantially parallel to the axis of said motor, a power-transmitting belt extended between a rotating part of said motor and said shaft, means. mounting said shaft on said body for pivotal movement about an axis perpendicular thereto and closely adjacent its point of connection to said belt, a' system comprising a. plurality of unbalanced massesmounted for pivotal'movement with said shaft and driven by said shaft, said shaft being adapted to pivot reversibly under the centrifugal forces set up by said masses, and means to transmit the reciprocating movement of said shaft to said agitator.

6. In a suction cleaner, a body, an agitator mounted on said body for constrained pivotal movement about an axis on said body, and means to reciprocate said agitator comprising a system of driven rotatable unbalanced masses connected to said agitator and mounted for linear reciprocation transversely of the axis of said agitator, the unbalance of said masses being such that the components of force set up by said masses are additive transversely of said axis and cancellative in their components parallel thereto.

'7. In a suction cleaner, a body, an agitator mounted on said body for constrained movement in a predetermined path, and means to reciprocate said agitator in said path comprising a system'of driven rotatable unbalanced masses movably mounted on said body and connected to said agitator, the unbalance of said masses being such that the forces set up byrotation are cumulative in a direction to effect reciprocation of said agitator and are cancellative in other directions,

whereby the vibration transmitted to the supporting body is a minimum.

3. In a suction cleaner, a body having a nozzle, suction-creatingmeans connected to said nozzle, an elongated agitating element mounted in said nozzle for reciprocation relative to said nozzle, and means to actuate said element-comprising a system of driven rotating unbalanced masses movably carried by said body and connected to said element, the unbalance of said masses being such that the generated forces are cumulative in one direction and cancellative transversely of that direction, said means being connected to said element to actuate it transversely of its length.

9. In a suction cleaner, 9. body including a nozzle, suction-creating means connected to said nozzle, an agitator movably mounted on said nozzle, and means to reciprocate said agitator relative to said nozzle comprising asystem' of rotating unbalanced masses carried by said body, the unbalance of said masses being such that the generated forces are cumulative in one direction and cancellative in other directions, whereby no turning torque is transmitted to the supporting body and to the agitator, and means connecting said system to said agitator to transmit the cumulative forces thereto.

Domino G. swans. 

